6 ways to get closer to yourself

1. Psychological training

You do not trust your own body, have lost contact with it, do not hear and do not accept it? You can restore the dialogue with the body, learn to understand it and learn more about yourself at the body-oriented therapy training.

How does this happen. “The lesson begins with “sharing”: each participant talks about their experiences,” says psychologist Svetlana Arkhipova, the host of the Secrets of Body Harmony training. “Then we begin to work with different parts of the body using special techniques, including oriental ones, and do exercises. For example, we lay down on the floor, close our eyes, spread our arms and legs and … try to return to that state of harmony that we felt when we were children, and then lost due to many circumstances.

The next step is to feel the influence of the outside world. One of the participants closes his eyes, and three others touch him in different ways for several minutes: they stroke, hug, pat … The exercises are simple, but the effect can be unexpected. At the end of the session, we exchange impressions and analyze the feelings of everyone.”

Our opinion. Learning to talk to your own body, listen to its signals, understand when it is comfortable and when it is not, is really important. Often the body tries to tell us about ourselves, and it is useful to reckon with it.

2. Theater studio

Acting is a great tool to stop feeling awkward and unnatural. Classes in a theater studio will help those who strive for self-development, want to get rid of internal clamps, fear of public speaking, and dream of learning how to control their body and voice.

How does this happen. “The performance of each actor rests on three elements: body, voice, imagination,” says Ekaterina Usovetskaya, director of the Smile Theater School of Acting. “In order to effectively develop them, we divide each lesson into three parts: physical exercises (liberation and coordination), stage speech (plus the basics of breathing exercises) and an emotional part – the development of memory, attention, imagination, contact.”

The four-month program consists of two cycles. The first one is called “Meet It’s You”: participants will recognize themselves, their body, voice.

In the second cycle – “Immersion in the character” – the emphasis shifts towards stage activities, mise-en-scenes are played out that encourage actors to go beyond their usual behavior, allow themselves what is not typical for them in ordinary life, “get” real emotions out of themselves and the senses. At the end of the course, an open lesson is held – performances and performances are played before the audience.

Our opinion. A theater studio is a great way to relax, learn to control your body, speech, and allow yourself to experience unusual emotions. You can master acting at the age of 20 or 50, if you are a lawyer or a journalist, have dreamed of a stage since childhood, or just like to experiment.

3. Spa style care

A few hours spent in a beauty salon, aesthetic medicine clinic or spa resort will help you relax, cheer you up, improve your well-being and give you a sense of harmony in your whole body.

How does this happen. “We offer each client an individual course of procedures, which is developed depending on his needs,” explains physiotherapist Galina Boyko. “Over the course of the program, we look at the results and adjust the course.”

The advantage of aesthetic medicine is that all procedures are not only effective, but also pleasant. Hydromassage or wraps with aromatic oils tone the skin and allow you to lose weight. Cryotherapy using liquid nitrogen provides lymphatic drainage, anti-cellulite effect and increases the level of endorphins – hormones of joy.

The floating procedure – immersion for 45 minutes in a pool of water, the composition of which is similar to the waters of the Dead Sea – is good because in this state the theta waves begin to be produced in the brain, which appear in yogis during meditation. Thanks to this procedure, creative processes are activated.

Our opinion. Everything in the spa centers is created for relaxation and harmony: cozy rooms, subdued light, a mixture of a thousand pleasant aromas in the air. Stopping and devoting time to pleasant procedures is an important step towards loving yourself … It is especially recommended for women.

4. Consultation of a psychotherapist

Everyone has complaints about their appearance, and some spend a lot of effort trying to change it. If the desire to improve oneself completely fills a person’s life and he ceases to worry about everything except diets, fitness or plastic surgery, one cannot do without consulting a psychotherapist.

How does this happen. “The obsessive need to change oneself is called “dysmorphomania,” says psychotherapist Vladimir Esaulov. – A person does not accept himself as he is, he believes that he must be more beautiful, slimmer, graceful or more muscular. In an effort to change, he goes too far, his whole life is subordinated only to this idea. He loses a sense of proportion, does not hear arguments from the outside, cannot control either himself or what is happening around him.

The first step is to establish trust. And then work begins with the help of special techniques, for example, Ericksonian hypnosis. “The most difficult thing is to start therapy, start the process,” continues Vladimir Esaulov. — A psychologist needs tremendous patience to work on the formation of a successful image of his “I” of the patient, self-acceptance, teach him to take care of himself, form abstract interests … The main thing is that at the end of therapy the client has a feeling of fullness, the inner emptiness disappears and a system of values ​​is formed , in which there is no place for past dependence.

Our opinion. If you are tired of the wary attitude of friends and relatives to your countless experiments on yourself, perhaps it is time to … listen to their opinion?

5. Oriental dance

Oriental dance will help you feel more plastic, sexy, feminine. By dancing, you will strengthen the muscles of the abdomen, thighs, buttocks, arms, and also develop the flexibility of the body and gain grace.

How does this happen. For classes, you will need special clothes: skirts, harem pants, tops and scarves with coins, which are selected specifically to emphasize the chest, hips, waist. In the classroom, they study basic dance techniques, and also learn to express emotions and feelings through facial expressions, gestures and movements of their own body.

“With each lesson, you will become more and more self-confident, you will feel beautiful, desirable, your mood will improve, and those around you will instantly feel and react to the changes that have taken place,” says oriental dance teacher Elizaveta Tavrovskaya.

Our opinion. Belly dance allows you to overcome the complexes associated with the figure. Participants do not need to be ashamed of their forms – this is only a plus in belly dancing!

6. Personal training

Are you against diets and do you think that only by doing sports, you can normalize your weight or get closer to the ideal body? If so, you might be interested in personal training.

How does this happen. Taking into account your wishes – to lose weight, build muscle, pump up the stomach or reduce the volume of the hips – as well as the individual capabilities of the body, the trainer will develop a training program. In the process of work, he will control the technique of performing exercises, monitor the dynamics of changes, increase or decrease the load. In addition to personal training in the gym or swimming pool, you can choose any other type of training, including traditional group programs: yoga, Pilates, dance, aerobics, step, martial arts.

Our opinion. Sports training is a great opportunity for those who are set on an obvious result. Intense sports help to find a beautiful and healthy body, and also develop qualities that will be useful outside the gym: discipline, endurance and the ability to self-organize.